In 1999, while working on the travel series 'Don't Forget Your Passport', Scott Wilson and Andre Dupuis got their first substantial taste of the travel bug. Once the show concluded production, Wilson (the series' sound recordist) and Dupuis (camera operator and editor) were left feeling unsatisfied with the experience, feeling the show lacked the ability to convey the emotional impact of travel. Wilson told the Toronto Star, "Anyone who has done any sort of traveling ... knows you miss a train and you've got to pay twice as much the second time around, or you're stranded somewhere overnight. And you get scared, you get cold, you get hungry and things break down – and we just wanted to include all of those things."
So In February of 2005, after pooling funds , Scott and Andre flew to New Zealand to film a pilot. But it wasn't until 2006 while cutting the pilot and piecing together the project pitch that the show became something completely unexpected and revolutionary... a travel show that didn't feel like a travel show.
The Rogers Media owned adventure channel, Outdoor Life Network, snatched the show up the day the pilot arrived. Wilson then contacted high school friend, Justin Lukach, who had been working in Hawaii for an engineering firm, propositioning him to return to Canada to serve as his co-host on the series. By June of that same year they had begun production on the first episode in the series. The show has since been picked up by National Geographic channel and is being shown in an estimated 41 countries. The series has received many respectable accolades (many awarded to Dupuis for his amazing cinematography, including a 2008 Gemini). They are currently working on Season 3, filming in Vietnam, Russia and Siberia, just to name a few.
Stepping away from the beaten path, Wilson and Lukach instead opt for the rare, unusual and sometimes daring adventures in the countries they visit. From fighting professional kick-boxers in Thailand to swimming with fresh water dolphins in Brazil, they explore the rarely seen, taking the viewer along for a once in a life time experience. Dupuis skill with the camera is unparalleled, conveying the wonder of a children's fairy tale, and carries the show to a plateau all its own. One of the most visually stunning shows on television today, Departures is something that definitely cannot be missed.
Departures airs in Canada on OLN (Weeknights @ 8 PM EST) , CityTV (Fridays @ 9 EST) and Internationally On Nat
ional Geographic Channel (Check Your Local Listings)*. A special thanks to the reader who pointed out some fact inconsistancies regarding Andre Dupuis and his job role during his work on 'Don't Forget Your Passport', and the 'Departures' pilot. Initially I had stated that Dupuis was the Film Editor, Cinematographer for DFYP and that the Departures pilot had been filmed in 2007 AFTER the format and concept had already been conceived. The reason for the incorrect information was due to an incorrect posting on imdb.com regarding Andre's role on 'DFYP' and gaps in the available data about the initial development of the series. I appreciate any feedback or corrections (after all, that's really what the comment option is there for) and I apologize for the mistake. GG O.
Great little mish of sources but you're off in a few places.
ReplyDeleteAndre was a camera operator & editor for DFYP and the pilot was shot in February / March of 2005. The concept and format weren't really conceived until they'd cut together their pilot and built the pitch materials throughout 2006.
Andre is very cute. Does anyone know if he's gay? He seems to be a very private person but he'd make a great gay role model for younger gay guys, if he's gay.
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